This week, Mothers Out Front South Bay gave public testimony in favor of SB 100 (the CA Clean Energy Act) at a Cupertino City Council meeting. Also speaking in favor of a city resolution supporting the bill were Tara Shreekrishnan, Krish Ellath, and three De Anza College students. After hearing our public comments, the City Council voted unanimously to express their support for SB 100, barring any hostile amendments. They also urged the bill's author, Senate Pro Tem Kevin De León, to move the target dates for zero-carbon energy even earlier, noting that Cupertino was able to transition to 100% clean energy in just one year! Come on CA, let’s go carbon-free, fast!

Along side San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Mothers Out Front South Bay co-founder Linda Hutchins-Knowles spoke at a press conference unveiling the city’s ambitious new sustainability plan, called Climate-Smart San José. One of just four speakers at the pressconference, Linda was tapped to represent the SanJose community because of Mothers Out Front's vital role in mobilizing public support for a key component of the plan, SanJose’s new community choice energy program. Climate-Smart San José positions SanJose as one of the only major U.S. cities to release a detailed and comprehensive blueprint for how to achieve the emissions reductions goals of the Paris Climate Agreement—and in a way that seeks to uplift and enrich the entire community including those of limited economic means.

Left to right: Audrey Rust and Michael Kutelik of SanJose Community Energy Advocates; Linda Hutchins-Knowles, Kat Baumgartner and Jane Mulcaster of Mothers Out Front.

Mothers Out Front South Bay (San Jose) partnered with 350 Silicon Valley, Acterra, and the Asian Law Alliance to attract a standing-room only crowd to a town hall on climate change with local Assembly Members Evan Low and Marc Berman. The evening kicked off with the delivery, by two children, of 94 hand-signed postcards collected by the South Bay team asking these Assembly Members to support SB 100, the California Clean Energy Act.

Click below to watch the 350 Silicon Valley Facebook live broadcast of the event. At about 5 minutes in, you will see Linda from Northern California Mothers Out Front and two young activists deliver their postcards at the town hall.

Six members of our San Jose team, Mothers Out Front South Bay, recently met with California Assemblymember Evan Low as part of their ongoing campaign to promote the California Clean Energy Act (SB 100). The mothers passionately conveyed their concern about increasing climate impacts, like the recent California wildfires, and asked Asm Low to prioritize ensuring a safe climate for all children.

As SB 100 gets reintroduced in January, Mothers Out Front South Bay will continue to partner with local allies like 350 Silicon Valley, 350 Bay Area, and the Sierra Club to mobilize support for its swift passage. When passed, SB 100 will accelerate California’s renewable energy targets, making the Golden State the largest economy on earth committed to getting 100% of its power from wind, solar, and other clean alternatives by 2045! (California residents, click here to show YOUR support!)

Posted by Northern California Community Team · December 12, 2017 2:03 PM

Mothers Out Front showed up to support the youth plaintiffs, ages 10-21, of Our Children’s Trust (who are suing the federal government for the right to a safe planet) as they appeared for a hearing at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on December 11. Mothers Out Front Expansion Organizer Linda Hutchins-Knowles took the train up from San Jose to attend the rally and press conference. Afterwards, she met climate scientist James Hansen, whose granddaughter is one of the plaintiffs; Julia Olson, legal counsel for the youth; and some local mothers who are interested in starting a Mothers Out Front team in San Francisco. All are eagerly awaiting the court’s ruling. You can learn more about this historic case and watch the fascinating hour-long hearing here.More about the San Francisco hearing and rally here.

Mothers Out Front South Bay sent a representative to testify at a key meeting of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in San Francisco on December 6th. BAAQMDis the agency charged with regulating air pollution and emissions in the wider San Francisco Bay Area, including those produced by the East Bay Oil Refinery Corridor.

Representing both Mothers Out Front and the Silicon Valley Climate Action Alliance, Linda Hutchins-Knowles gave a passionate speech urging the Directors to protect local frontline communities by ending pollution trading and credit programs for toxic pollutants—especially by phasing out emission trading of particulate matter PM 2.5—and by reintroducing and strengthening proposed Rule 12-16 that has overwhelming public support.

Linda reminded the Directors that “we parents are counting on you to ensure healthy air today and a livable climate tomorrow. The actions you take will impact current and future generations for years to come.”

On October 17, 2017, Mothers Out Front presented the case for Community Choice Energy (CCE) to Tustin City Council. This was the first time a community organization was asked to present CCE to a city council in Orange County!

What is Community Choice Energy?

Here’s the scoop on what Community Choice Energy does:

Cities (or groups of cities) set up a non-profit entity to purchase electricity for residents and businesses.

Empowers the community to decide where their electricity is generated.

Reduces a city’s carbon footprint by as much as half.

Stabilizes rates by introducing competition into the electricity market.

Can offer residents additional rebates on electric vehicles or invest in other programs like community solar to lower utility costs for renters

Mothers Out Front South Bay (San Jose) recently organized a very successful and creative event called Just Desserts: Discussing Climate Justice with our Local Representatives. A standing-room-only crowd of 70 people enjoyed delicious desserts while sharing with Senator Jim Beall and Assemblymember Ash Kalra their ideas for how to promote climate justice in California.

Young people in middle and high school formed a significant portion of the audience and put to good use the opportunity we gave them to ask questions first.Many of the comments reflected a deep desire for a just transition to renewable energy in a way that includes and uplifts frontline communities. Senator Beall and Assemblymember Kalra took note of participants’ ideas and committed to continuing to champion climate justice in upcoming legislative season starting in January. People with suggestions for bills are encouraged to contact Mothers Out Front South Bay atnorcalmothersoutfront@gmail.com.

A large crowd gathers for Mothers Out Front South Bay’s Just Desserts climate justice event at a library in San Jose. Speaking in front is Assemblymember Ash Kalra and to his left is Senator Jim Beall.

Posted by Northern California Community Team · November 16, 2017 7:24 PM

Mothers Out Front South Bay team coordinators, Linda Hutchins-Knowles and Stacy Levy, recently met for coffee with Assemblymember Ash Kalra and Senator Kevin de León to discuss how to advance Senate Bill 100, the California Clean Energy Act, during the next legislative season.

Senator de León, who as Senate pro Tem is the most powerful legislator in California,authored SB 100 in order to accelerate California’s transition to 100% renewable energy. This fall, Mothers Out Front California campaigned for SB 100 by participating in a statewide call-in day, co-organizing and speaking at a press conference in San Jose, meeting with local elected officials to ask for their support, and delivering 133 “Yes on SB100” postcards from constituents to Assemblymember Evan Low. Although the bill was held up in committee last season, our determined team of mothers and youth will continue to champion SB 100 and hope to push it over the finish line next season.

Six enthusiastic members of the South Bay (San Jose, CA) Mothers Out Front team completed an intensive training in Leadership, Organizing and Action led by the Leading Change Network. Over 2.5 days, the team practiced and honed skills in sharing our stories, building committed teams, creating a shared-leadership structure, strategizing, and translating strategy into effective action. "I loved every minute!” exclaimed participant Amanda Senior. We can’t wait to put all we’ve learned into action to build an even stronger team and execute even more impactful campaigns for a livable climate. Go team!

Special thanks to Mothers Out Front's National Leadership team and to San Jose City Councilmember Donald Rocha (District 9) for providing generous grants to enable six members of our team to participate in this empowering training!